Caption: First manned hot air balloon flight. This ornate decorated balloon is shown being used by the French balloonists Jean-Francois Pilatre de Rozier (1754-1785) and Girond de Villete. They carried out a captive balloon ascent from Paris, France, on 19 October 1783, reaching an altitude of 330 feet for nine minutes. This was the first manned ascent in a hot air balloon.